— Images from the trailer to Terrence Malick’s new movie, with cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki. I want to see this film, and almost feel like going to Berlin to see it open at the Berlinale. Link: the trailer +++
Dec 152014
Oct 192014
— “Truffaut said that Hitchcock filmed lovemaking as if it was murder, and filmed murder as if it was lovemaking.” I have posted my third commentary about Alfred Hitchcock‘s brilliant film, Strangers on a Train. My first post discussed the opening sequence, comparing the shooting script to the film, and Truffaut’s vision of Hitchcock as [...]
Sep 042014
— Matthew McConaughey riffs in a commercial for Lincoln directed by Nicholas Winding Refn. +++ watch on YouTube +++
Sep 032014
— Jeff Desom’s methodical assembly of all the shots of the courtyard in Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece is an extraordinary piece of storyboarding. You get to see all the different homes and stories that make up the courtyard, and to see the plot unfold. Desom actually used this footage to create a 20-minute 3-projector looping video [...]
Sep 022014
___ Abel Ferrara offers a film about Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini starring Willem Dafoe in the title role. The film focuses on the end of his life and his mysterious murder. I wonder whether the film can do justice to the complex genius of the poet, filmmaker, artist. I hope it’s better than Welcome [...]
Aug 212014
The strangers meet – I published the first of several posts on Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, Strangers on a Train, on my blog on theasc.com. In my post I discuss the innovative 2-minute introduction of the characters, using only shots of their shoes. I also compare the shooting script to the film, to see if Hitch [...]
Aug 152014
Controversial Swiss ad for using condoms set to Edith Piaf’s famous song “Je ne regrette rien” (I regret nothing) +++ link LOVELIFE no regrets from LOVE LIFE on Vimeo +++
Jul 282014
– I posted an interview I did 7 years ago with the late, great cinematographer Harris Savides about the filmmaking process with director Gus van Sant for their masterful Death Trilogy: Gerry, Elephant, Last Days. The post is on my blog on theasc.com. Here’s an excerpt: BB: And for you as a cinematographer, does freedom [...]
Jul 282014
– The director of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes reveals 2 interesting tidbits in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) online dialogue: 1. Reeves wanted to shoot anamorphic, in part because of the narrower depth of field. But Reeves was told he couldn’t shoot anamorphic because the lenses didn’t match closely enough for [...]
Jul 222014
— This 6-minute video reportage of the Ukrainian plane crash by VICE is simple, effective and graphic (some brief images of dead people). It shows the horrible reality of the wreckage but the reporter does not accuse anyone, and does not disrespect the victims. An example of good journalism. +++ Watch on